A Sanderson High School teacher has been arrested for 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. A cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children prompted police to investigate. Knightdale police and N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is also involved. Police say the teacher, Eric Belk, willfully distributed videos of children in an unclothed states and received videos showing adult men having sex with female children.
Malcolm Layfield
A former student of Malcolm Layfield, a Sanderson School teacher, has filed a petition against him after allegations of sexual abuse surfaced. She claims that Layfield engaged in a pattern of abusing pupils and that he had sexual relations with some of them. She argues that Layfield acted in violation of his professional obligations as a music teacher and should be prosecuted.
According to the court records, a former Sanderson School teacher has been arrested on 10 counts of sexual exploitation. The charges relate to alleged sexual activity involving two 16-year-old boys that occurred in the former teacher’s marital home.
Kay Bailey’s testimony revealed a world of deviant behavior. She described how she was made to feel like a ‘bad girl by the teacher. She was also pampered with expensive gifts, including matching watches and Winnie the Pooh books.
After his arrest, Layfield was suspended from his teaching post for three years. However, he later resigned from the school and was jailed for life. He was found guilty on 10 counts of sexual exploitation. The Local Authority found that the school failed to hold senior leaders to account and failed to provide adequate assurances of child protection, monitoring, and evaluation. Further, recent convictions and ongoing police investigations may raise concerns.
The former head of strings at RNCM
In October, the former head of strings at the RNCM was arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual exploitation. He is accused of grooming the alleged victim during rehearsal lifts. The alleged victim went along with the affair because she considered Layfield to be ‘critical’ to her career. However, when the accuser complained to the RNCM, the principal was unable to help her because he told her to “cry rape”.
The RNCM’s investigation uncovered a long history of abuse by a former head of strings. Malcolm Layfield, 61, was arrested on suspicion of three historic rapes. The alleged rapes took place between 1980 and 1991. The accused had sex with the victims while he was teaching at Chetham’s School of Music and later on at the Royal Northern College of Music. The former head of strings has since stood down from his position and been granted bail until October 17.
The accused teacher is a violinist, who has worked at Chetham’s University and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He is currently on police bail, pending the outcome of the investigation. The RNCM has also suspended Layfield. The college has refused to comment on the allegations.
Accused of raping 18-year-old student
A teacher accused of raping an 18-year-old student in Cornwall is stepping down. Two teachers are facing trial. One is accused of raping a student in 1982, and the other is accused of sexual misconduct. The teacher was employed by the Sanderson School in Chetham’s, a private music school. The allegations against both men have been denied by the teachers involved.
Police say the teacher, Brandon Holbrook, overheard the victim discussing the rumors with a classmate. Eventually, the victim told a swim coach, who reported the matter to police. The teacher was arrested in Cumberland County in February.
The accused teacher, Malcolm Layfield, was a former violin teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Although he denied raping the 18-year-old student, he admitted having sexual relationships with other students. Those relationships continued even after the alleged incident ended. The student even gave Layfield cufflinks when she graduated.
A jury will decide if the allegations against the teacher are true or not. A jury might consider the casting couch element in the case.
Admitted to inappropriate relationships with pupils
A former teacher at Sanderson School has admitted to kissing a student and sending her nude pictures through text messages. The teacher, Shannon Lynn Best, taught at Sanderson High School since 2004. During an investigation, investigators found that she had two computers, one of which belonged to the school. They also seized three thumb drives and a camera disk.
Other tutors pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation
Another defendant pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation at the school. Judith Layfield was a music tutor at the school. Her solicitor said she was “hugely relieved” at the verdict. She has previously performed with the Manchester Camerata orchestra. She told the court that she regretted having consensual relationships with female students.
The sexual exploitation at the school was exposed after a female student RS-A3 told police that she had been sexually abused by her violin tutor. The investigation was launched by Greater Manchester Police and a total of eight girls came forward to say that Ling had abused them. These allegations ranged from kissing and touching to full sexual intercourse. This case is the third trial involving allegations of sexual exploitation at the school.
The charges against Mr Crook were brought against him after staff raised concerns about the behaviour of the former head of music at the school. The prosecution claimed he had inappropriate conversations with students. The case was referred to the school board for disciplinary action. Mr Smallbone requested that the LADO reconsider their decision, but they declined. The governing body then commissioned an independent review, which looked into the reasons why staff at the school reported concerns to the LADO. The review also interviewed 47 members of staff and concluded that Mr Crook had used inappropriate language with the pupils. The governing body recommended that Mr Crook be given a probationary period and a final written warning.
Judge sentences Hammonds to 15 years in prison
Judge Stephen Berecz sentenced Hammonds to 15 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child. The woman he raped was only 13 years old when the rape occurred, but the judge found that Hammond abused her and induced deviant sexual acts when she was just a teenager. Hammond told jurors that he had trusted the wrong person. Hammond also told jurors that he carried out sexual assaults while in jails. His defense attorney argued that he should be granted probation.
Hammond’s alibi was not corroborated, and the original interview he gave was incomplete. In addition, the hairs found in Hammond’s car were consistent with those of the victim. Although Hammond holds a good job, he will not be able to find another one if he is incarcerated for sexual exploitation.
Prosecutors say the case is extremely serious and that Hammonds’ actions are reprehensible. The victim’s bravery in reporting the abuse was an invaluable contribution to the prosecution. They are also grateful to the Covington Police Department and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.